Mess Of A Friend
by DEACTIVEDUSER
Summary: Why wouldn't the gang like a friend of Ponyboy's? They think he's a hood,that's why."Probation?" Darry looked grim. "Doesn't sound like an angel."-Mark from TwT,TiN.-A series of one-shots.-CHAP 8 UP!R&R!-discontinued-
1. Chapter 1

disclaimer:I own nothing.

A.N:Admittedly, the plot line for this one-short is a bit of a rut and it isn't too strong but hopefully,the characterization as well as the idea that the gang might not like Mark too well is plausible enough for !R&R!

_Mess Of A Friend_

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I walked in softly with Mark behind me .I guess I wasn't walking so quietly 'cause within a couple of steps, Soda comes by, bounding out of the living room. "Heyya Pony! Hey! "he said ,surprised. "Who's your friend?" Mark was nearly the same size as me but you can tell he's older and I saw Soda's eyes take all of him as he looked up and down at Mark's strange golden hair and eyes with his worn jeans and baggy shirt. "Hey," Mark drawled. "I'm Mark .Mark Jennings." He stuck a hand out and Soda slowly shook it, noticing the smudged phone number on it. Mark introduced himself with a defensive tone in his voice so I guess he noticed Soda's not-so-subtle staring. I would have been annoyed too.

As we walked by, I saw Steve and Two-Bit lounging on the couch. Two-Bit cocked an eyebrow when he saw Mark. Mark had a rep at school and not the good kinds either(what greaser has a good rep anyway?) .We hung about inside my room(and Soda's , if you're that fussy),getting to know each other better, and I don't mean that in the kind of way Two-Bit would have immediately joked about. Mark was a year older than me but he didn't lord it over me the way the other boys would have. We met over at Jay's through Terry Jones, a buddy of mine from school. I had only known Mark for a few weeks but already he felt like a good buddy, someone I could count on to show up most of the time. He told me about how he lived with his brother and his old lady, the conversation swung to Bryon. He told me a lot about him and though I knew Bryon didn't like me very much (but I didn't know why. Mark wouldn't tell me except for that the reason was a real riot),I thought I could like the guy. When we got up to get a drink, I poured myself a glass of milk while Mark gulped one of the cans of beer from the fridge.

"Kid, you should swing by Terry's parties." he smirked, eying my chocolate milk.

"Yeah ,right, be sure to hold me after I pass out from all the drinking." I said , sarcastic.

Steve walked in then and headed to the fridge to get a can but he didn't walk back out instead he just leaned there, watching us and I felt a little annoyed, its not like he had to just stand there, watching us besides Mark was nearly the same age as him.

"I better get going. Bryon said he might swing by anytime....which would probably be about now."

"Bryon? You guys got a car?"

"Nah, he'll just get one somewhere and I'm on probation for hot-wiring anyway."

At this, Steve's eyebrow nearly rose up onto his hair. Which was no easy feat.

"Oh, yeah."

"I'll teach you someday." he winked, knowing full well what Steve's expression behind him would be.

I laughed Mark reminded me of Dallas a bit, wild and cunning but not (possibly fortunately) full of hate for the world like Dally was.

"Pony, hey, there's a car outside. One of your friends?" Soda called out from the front. There was a crash and I wondered absent-mindedly if it was Two-Bit again. "Must be Bryon," Mark swallowed the last of his drink before getting up and heading to the door. I followed him and to my relief, Steve decided to just stay where he was and not follow me as well.

It _was _Bryon. He was leaning on the car, a normal car. The kind you see on any other street...which was where I was sure he got it from. Bryon was bigger and taller than me but most boys are. He had a better build than most though and that was one thing I worried about when I heard he didn't like me too much. He was well-liked by girls and I guess I could see why. Its not hard to, when he had a rep even if it was as a playboy(for some reason, the girls seemed to like him in spite of all the hearts he broke before, they were probably deluding themselves he wouldn't do it to them).A rep is a rep in these parts of the neighborhood. They both got into the car and drove off, Mark giving me the bird as a joke.

"Didn't know you were friends with Jennings, Pony."

Two-Bit mouthed off the moment I stepped back in. I shrugged and sat down on the floor, my head beside Soda's legs who was sitting on the couch, flipping through an old magazine. I waited for a bit more, sure they all had something to say. Nowadays, the gang was more....involved into looking out for me. They thought I didn't notice but I did. I bet they would have strip-searched Terry the other time if they could when we ran into each other at the mart. "I don't know, Pone. The kid looks like trouble." Soda finally said, brushing through my hair with his fingers.

"Who looks like?" Darry's voice wafted in as the door swung open. "No one," I said hurriedly but Soda gave me a look. If this was how _Soda _was acting, who knew how Darry would? We got on better now but I'd just gotten a B for one of my papers and wasn't in any rush to knowing how Darry was going to be about that already. "A friend of Pony's," Steve butted in, finishing Soda's job for him. I gave Steve a look, why couldn't he ever give me a break?

"Yeah?" Darry stepped in, all dusty and tired from roofing before flopping himself into his recliner. "Why's that, little buddy?"he turned to Soda.

"They look like hoods?" Two-Bit supplied in. I snorted and he looked questioningly at me. "What's that mean?"

"Two-Bit, you ever look in a mirror before?" Soda reached over and gave him a shove. " But you are right, that's what I mean."

"Mark might be in trouble now but he's alright." I said, it was true enough anyway

"He has a rep both in and outta school, Ponyboy." Two-Bit spoke up and his tone was enough to make me surprised. He didn't normally sound so serious. "You know, his buddy Bryon there. Ain't he in some trouble with the Shepards with the whole Angela thing?"

"I'm not sure what happened actually." I admitted. "All I know is that they broke up."

Two-Bit looked at me carefully then and I felt a bit uncomfortable, under his steady gaze.

"He's under probation, right, kid?" Steve curled a lip at me and I felt real pissed at him then, he knew he was just making it harder for me.

"Probation?" Darry looked grim. "Doesn't sound like an angel."

"Look. Mark is alright, okay?" I said. "Who's friends with him? You or me?" I mouthed off and as the words left, I knew it was a mistake to mouth off.

"Ponyboy. Stay away from the guy." Darry sighed and I felt really angry then, even more pissed with him than Steve, who were they to tell me this?

"We don't need a visit from the State or anything else going wrong." Darry added.

"Too bad." I gritted my teeth. "Because you already got me and I'm big enough of a screw-up according to you guys, already." I turned around and glared at the TV set.

Behind me, I could see the gang in the reflective surface, exchanging looks, promising me I'd have another talking-to later.

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A.N:So there you go!Hope it was up to standard and please leave a review!-mais :D


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer:I own nothing.

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Soda pop_

I woke up earlier than usual that morning. Pony's arm was flung across my chest and his head was buried into my side. I smiled and wriggled under his weight. Sometimes, I forgot how young he was. And with all his new friends and interest in girls, I forgot often.

Darry was already up and drinking coffee when I walked into the kitchen. "Soda?" he looked up. "Its a Saturday, you don't have work today, remember?" "I can't sleep," I muttered and sat across him. "What about Pony?" "Sleeping like a baby." I brightened, thinking about my kid brother. Darry folded his newspaper and set it on the table. I took it up and flipped to random page and began reading it. I don't read too much or too well and I didn't understand what the article was about. Guessing it might have been something about prawns and bad weather. The second one was pretty common around here but I don't know about prawns. If Pony were beside me, he did explain it to me. Pony had a way of making everything sound interesting. "Pony sure is growing up." Darry sounded wistful. "Yeah....remember that summer when we were at the field and we saw that insect and Pony was the only one who knew about them?"

"Yeah, a praying mantis right?"

"Yeah! And after that, Pony told me a fact he knew about them and glory, he blushed red the whole time."

"What's that?"

"Well, when they do it, it looks like the female bites the male head's off."

Darry and I laughed.

"Not a pretty picture," he chuckled.

"Why, big brother, are you thinking about it?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

He playfully smacked my head.

"Has it really been three years?" I wondered aloud.

"Yeah....sure don't feel like it."

I shook my head bewildered. "He's nearly fifteen..."

"Yeah, Pony's growing too fast."

"Yeah," I agreed sadly.

"I remember when I was fifteen, god, I was wild." Darry said. "What about you?"

_Darry_

Soda paused, his hair shone in the shaft of sunlight through the window. "Yeah, mostly, it was just Steve and me flirting with girls though. I remember you. You could be crazy then. Sneaking in at night, all knocked out."

"The rumbles were a lot rougher." I remembered it myself. Back then, using weapons was routine, before more than a few of us got busted. Permanently.

"Pony's a lot tamer than both of us."

"That's 'cause Pony is going to go somewhere. Get out of here. Be someone."

"So were you." Soda's voice was sad, soft.

"It doesn't matter, little man, just Pony." I ruffled his hair.

But it did back then. I was going to be a football star, make my parents proud, buy a nice house, find the perfect girl. Then that night came and everything broke into pieces. I still think they were proud of me though. We had to stick together as a family, no matter what. And what I lost, I was going to make sure Pony didn't. It wasn't going to happen if he wasted it on bad company though. I sighed heavily.

"Darry?"

"Huh?Oh nothing, thinking about that creep of Pony's friend."

"Yeah,I know. But sometimes he just has to learn by falling, Darry." he fixed me with a look. "And be there to help him up."

Soda has always been one of the most instinctive people I know. "Yeah....but I just don't like the looks of that Terry kid."

"I don't like Mark either, he's cool enough but his rep is bigger."

Just then, Pony appeared in the doorway. "Morning, sleepyhead." Soda pulled a chair up for him. Pony yawned, "Why're you guys up so early?" "No reason," Soda lied easily, he gave me a half smile and I nodded to show I understood. This was just going to be between us. Of course.

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A/N:A short chapter but I think I'll add in another when I find the time.I'm sorry if it might not make much sense as the previous one of my better chapters. :C R&R!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer;I own nothing of SE Hinton's.

A/N:Enjoy!It'll be some time before I manage to type up again. R&R!

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_Darry_

We were fresh out of food at home as Two-Bit so graciously had informed me when I got back from roofing. Today had been a slow day so I went home early. Soda was off as well with Steve so I had set them chores to do around the house. Mostly, it was things like tidy up the rooms and sweep up. Of course when I got back, the place was clean....or so it seemed. Like children, they had stuffed all the messy things up in the closet. "Like kids, the both of you! Don't you use your head?" I shouted. Soda hung his head, sorry but Steve defiantly stared back, his muscles tensing and I knew he was itching for an excuse to get it out. "Ain't that Pony's line?" He shot at me. I glared at him before turning to Soda. "And just where is Pony?" "He went somewhere with a couple of friends after school," Two-Bit walked in from the kitchen. "Darry, you're outta food, by the way." he said with his mouth full. I swore, some days just ain't my day and this certainly wasn't one. No work, messy house and my brother having fun when he should be studying!

"Two-Bit because you ate it all up, you can come along with me to the mart. Soda,Steve ,you guys clean this mess up."

"Aw, come on, Darry! "Soda tried. "Its my day off! I can't spend it like an old lady, cleaning the house up!"

"Fine but if the State comes up, you answer to them." I snapped at Soda. His face fell and I felt sorry for him.

"Alright ,little buddy, but you really had better clear this when we get back."

Soda smiled widely at me and nodded. Sometimes, I wish it'd be this easy to get Ponyboy to forgive me. Soda always was the easier brother to understand. Ponyboy was the dreamer, the thinker. He was thinking all the time and shuffled about, lost in some grand, dream in his head.

When we reached the mart, I gave them all duties. Canned food to Steve and Soda, while Two-Bit and I would head to the bread aisle. I was checking the price of a loaf of bread("_When did the price go up?!" I stared at the thin loaf as Soda gave me a sympathetic look.) _when Two-Bit called us over. "Look," he smirked. It was Ponyboy with a group of friends. They were just hanging there, talking when a girl passed by and one of them whistled, long and low. "She cute, Curtis?" one of them asked Pony and Pony just shrugged like he was used to the question. "Even if she were, it'd be in your dreams, if she said yes to you, Terry." The other boys laughed and one of them offered at stick to Ponyboy.

"Thanks," Ponyboy grinned at them, "I'm not supposed to ..."

"But do you really care?"

"No."

"Exactly."

Pony took a long drag from the stick before smoking rings out. I felt like going there and smacking him, didn't he say he did quit? The rest were impressed. They were all a little older than Pony. Maybe sixteen or seventeen, suddenly I found myself wondering if they were the kind of people he hanged out with at school.

Abruptly, Two-Bit suddenly walked out from behind the shelves towards them and Soda gave me a panicked look. "You moron, Two-Bit!" Steve chuckled. "This'll be fun." he walked out too, leaving Soda and me. "Might as well," Soda said and pulled me along with him, leaving our basket there.

When Pony saw us, his face looked panicked before settling into a passive, "oh, look!" face. "Hey,Pony." Two-Bit greeted him. "Gentleman," he tipped an imaginary hat at the others. They introduced themselves and I saw some of them giving us strange looks. There was Roger and Al, a Kevin and James and maybe a Leo but I didn't pay too much attention to them, what was really bothering me, was the Terry Jones kid. He was short, sure but I didn't like the smile on his face or the faintly superior way he acted.

After a few minutes of two-Bit ribbing them and Steve, Soda and I just standing there like fools, staring and alternately glaring at them, I finally said, "We got to go now but you be back home by six, Pony." As we left, I could hear the others joking ,"Be home by six? You sissy or what, Ponyboy?"

In the car, back home, Soda leaned from the back seat and said," Pony won't be happy when he gets back."

"Yeah,well,Darry isn't either." Steve chanced.

"Well, I sure as heck am not. What lousy friends does Pony have anyway?"

"Looks like it'll be another rough night tonight." Soda said, sighing.

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	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer:I own nothing.

/A.N/: The fourth chapter. Sigh. I'm noticing my chapters are starting to differ from its title. This ain't Mess Of A Friend no more! XD Oh well. Enjoy!

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Soda

I flicked on the light as I walked into Pony's bedroom. I ain't sure but I thought I saw something and it could not have been Pony because he just left to go to someone's party.

"Darry?" I'm surprised to see him, looking through Pony's drawers. "What are you doing here? And in the dark?"

"Soda, I...I'm just looking for something."

"Like what?" I'm suspicious but I can't help myself,. The look on Darry's face looks desperate and guilty. I wonder what he's been doing.

"Just checking," Darry mutters. I smiled. He looked like an overgrown kid with his hand caught in the cookie jar.

"I'll help you," I said, getting up and opening one of the drawers myself. "What you looking for?"

"Look, Soda , you don't have to...I...its not that I don't trust Pony ,I just.. I mean why would he want a room to himself anyway? I though he liked sleeping with you."

Darry was making no sense and I reached over to lightly smack him. "Darry. Darry. You're not making any sense."

"Soda." Darry took a big breath. "Is Pony doing drugs?"

I stepped back .It was like Darry had just punched me in the stomach. "Drugs? Is this what its about ,Dar? Pony wouldn't do drugs! He's smarter than that!"

"I know, Soda but come on, think. He's going with the wrong crowd now. Maybe he might...just to..."

"That's bullshit. He wouldn't." I said, angrily. 'How can you even think that? He's our brother!"

"So why does he need all the money all of a sudden? Why is all the getting back so late? Two-Bit doesn't go with him anymore at school and you know, Steve doesn't too much now either."

"He has his own friends." I told him. This was getting out of hand. How could Darry even think this?

Darry

"Exactly. His own friends. Those lousy company he's been keeping."

"Darry, come on, be reasonable. Just because his friends are louses that don't mean he is too."

Soda's face was red. He really couldn't believe that Pony might...and I knew he wouldn't but I couldn't help but think about it. With all these drugs and LSD being in, what's to stop Pony from fitting in? I remembered Davis when I met him while roofing. He stank of the stuff and was high when I asked him why he would do it, he answered that it was cool. When he said that, I had a shock. I knew Pony still had a bit of trouble fitting in sometimes and maybe if he thought he'd be better with drugs he did try it but I hoped to heaven, he hasn't even touch it before.

"Soda, you be reasonable. What's to stop, Pony?" I began to say but my hand accidentally knocked stack of books down. As I bent down to pick them up, I noticed a black sketchbook with a pencil stuck in its spiral wire thing.

"What's that?" Soda said as I flipped it open.

I stood back up so we could both see at the same time.

It was a series of drawings.

"I thought Pony only did paintings..."Soda whispered, awed at how good the drawings were.

"I thought so too..."I told him.

The first sketch was of Mom and it gave me a throb in my throat to see her drawn out so perfectly with a few minor mistakes.

"Her nose is a little shorter." Soda sadly said as he touched the drawing.

I flipped to the next picture. It was of Dad. We skipped past that quickly. The next was of Soda and then, me. Pony had managed to nearly portrait Soda perfectly and had gotten me really good. Soda was laughing in his picture whereas I was playing football in his drawing. My back was arced ,the football in my arms. My face looked sweaty and I noticed Pony's scrawl of a hand-writing in the corner. _Darrel Shaynne Curtis, Jr. completely kicked our butts today. _

I smiled at that. I've won so many, I couldn't even remember which day that was.

The next was of Two-Bit, drinking a can and leaning outside the school.

Steve,. Fixing a car, his hands dirty as he handles a smoke.

Dally. His face was angry like a bull about to rush.

And....then,it was Johnny as I flipped the page reluctantly.

Johnny's was the one with the most eraser markings. Clearly he had been drawn over and over. The result was something that was nearly as accurate and alive though. Johnny was poking a fire, saying something from the shape of his lips I guessed but I couldn't tell what. His jeans jacket was with him again and he looked tired.

"That's the lot," Soda said.

"I wonder when that was..." I thought aloud.

We flipped the page again, the details of the drawing were beginning to make my eyes water.

"That's Mark," Soda said as we came across a skinny boy who was laughing and bending over the hood of a car that had been popped open.

"Who's this?" I asked. It was a tall, husky boy who had his waist around a petite, greaser girl with his free hand around a cigarette. Soda shrugged , he didn't know either.

The last drawing was a girl with bangs smiling benignly out. Her smile was cute and she was pretty. She looked about his age, I guessed.

Soda

I whistled. Whoever this was, she sure was a stunner. Her eyelashes were long and she was curvy as Pony had clearly drawn.

"Soda, we'd better start looking again."

I sighed . Why wouldn't Darry trust Pony?

"Okay," I told him. I might as well, I guess. I put the sketchbook on the bed and I began to open the other drawers and look through them.

Ponyboy

I got home earlier than I expected. The party was boring. As I walked into my room ,I sat on the bed and I noticed my sketchbook. It was lying there and I was sure I had placed it with my schoolbooks. The pencil was out of its binding, on the floor. I straightened as I put two and two together. My drawers were messy and the cupboard door was open slightly.

I felt mad then. Who the hell gave Darry the permission to go through my stuff?

"Darry!" I hollered, angry as I stormed out of the room.

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/A.N/: So there you go. Chapter for the week! :D R&R!


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

/A.N/ Fifth chapter up! This takes place after the dance in TWT TIN. I know my chapters aren't following a normal timeline('cause if it were chapter four did be after this) but truthfully I'm just writing this as I get the ideas, hope you don't mind!

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Ponyboy

I glanced around a couple of times to check. I leaned over before shooting up again. What if someone caught me? I couldn't get caught! Not now! I did get sent to the boy's home and everything did be screwed. I sighed and wiped my forehead. I winced, recalling how Mark's had been dripping blood. This was easy. This is easy. Remember what Mark said, I told myself as I bent down again and popped the hood of the car up. It was a mess inside and I felt scared again if something would go wrong.

_Just pop the hood, grab those two wires. _

_No, not those. These. _

_Right, now just snip and put 'em together. _

_Yes, like that. Now hear that? _

_Its good now, alright Ponyboy? _

_Yeah. _

_Congrats, kid, you've just learnt how to hot-wire. _

I heard the start of the engine and grinned. First try, lucky.

"Hey! I've got it started! Come on!" I called over to Bryon's girl. She was standing around with a group of people. When she heard me, she ran over. Man, she was good-looking. A real looker. Soft like Sandy, actually. But maybe nicer....Soda still hadn't heard from her, I thought angrily. But maybe that was just for the better now that he went out with Patricia.

We got into the car and I drove us to the hospital. I learnt how to drive recently from Steve. Steve was a pretty good teacher. He didn't get angry like I thought he would when I forgot to do stuff but just showed me instead. I was learning from him(I mean, I could drive some even before. But this was just really learning and all.) 'cause Soda and Two-Bit's driving was just plain reckless and Darry was just too busy. But mostly, Soda and Two-Bit just sat in the back, annoying us and giving me bad tips.

"Thanks for the lift, Ponyboy," Cathy said. I looked at her. Her hair was crazy, a beautiful mess with her shiny black hair. Her eyelashes were the longest I'd ever seen and her eyes were grey.

"Its no problem," I mumbled, suddenly feeling shy. I don't talk to girls much. Even if Soda pop always is trying to match make me up with some girl from the DX. Ever since Two-Bit told the guys that the girls thought I was "cute" (_cringe) _, they'd been on my case, asking me who I'd gone with.

"So, is Ponyboy, your real name?" she asked.

"Yeah ,my dad was a real original person," I told her, remembering how I'd told the same thing to another girl, near a year past. Golly, had it been that long?

"My brother's name Soda pop."

"Oh...that's cool."

We kept quiet then. I guess we just didn't know what to say but I didn't miss the quick looks she gave me.

"Since mine's, Cathy Carlson, I guess it isn't as good, huh?"

I grinned. "Cathy Carlson is good enough of a name."

She looked at me with this smile on her face and I could feel myself coloring up.

"You've got dimples, you know."

Now, I could really feel myself getting red.

"Uh...we're near the hospital," I stammered and I could see her out of the corner of my eye, laugh a bit.

I felt stupid as we rushed out and went in.

We found Bryon at the end of the hallway. I tried to ignore this was the same hallway from last year. The same one I went with Dally.

"I brought your car," I said. "I figured you wouldn't have a way to get home. Is Mark going home?"

"Yeah, they said for him to stay in bed for a couple of days and to come back in a couple of weeks or so to get the stitches out. Help me get him in the car." he told me.

I put an arm around Mark and both me and Bryon pulled him up.

"Hey ,hey, hey Ponyboy! What are you doin' here?" Mark greeted me. He was a bit spacey, probably from his meds.

"Hey ,how did you start the car without any keys?" Bryon turned to me.

"Yeah, how did you?" Cathy asked as well.

"I hot-wired it," I flushed. "Mark showed me how to weeks ago."

Bryon grinned at me.

"Don't make that a habit, "He cautioned me, swinging into the car.

"I never done it before." I told him. It was my first time.

The ride back was mostly quiet, Mark was random and kept giving me his funny smiles and pointing out at streetlights.

"Look! I broke into that house one time," he yelled as we passed by some house near mine.

Bryon shook his head and I saw him smiling.

He dropped me off as Mark got into the song he was singing.

"Sugar, sugar. You are my candy girl," he sang. He didn't have that bad of a voice but that song was just weird. " And you got me wanting you."

I grimaced. The song was hokey. " See ya." I told them as I got off.

"Yeah, see ya around, Curtis." they drove off and Cathy waved at me. I felt a weird feeling, hot but good too. A good-hot kind of feeling, I guess. I liked it.

I ran back home. It wasn't too far anyway and I might as well train a bit.

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/A.N/: The song sung by Mark was Sugar Sugar by The Archies. Golly, that was some pop. I don't have anything against it but I think its the sort of music Bryon did describe as "a lulu of as song". Reviews? Pretty please with a soda on top? :D And Um!Um!Um! THANK-YOU FOR all your LOVELY REVIEWS!!!!!Its now over a page,darlings!!I love you guys!!Thank you so much! Arigato!Terima Kasih!Xie Xie Ni!Shukran!Merci! And I owe,you kids, cookies! :)))


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

/A.N/: The sixth chapter!!Yeahh! *dances*

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Darry

"Ponyboy!" I heard Soda greet from the kitchen. The door slammed. Pony said something but I didn't hear.

" _What happened to you?" _Soda yelped. The shock in his voice was enough to make me put down the shirt I was ironing and go to the front. I was annoyed. Did Pony have to come in late all the time? If I said ten, he came in at twelve. If I said, twelve, it was one. Like now.

"Ponyboy, you said you would be back at twelve, not one." I grumbled as I came into the living room.

Ponyboy was sitting on the couch and the first thing I noticed was his bruised face and his lip was a little swollen. I cussed in my head, went back and got a couple of plasters. Soda was gingerly patting Ponyboy's face.

"What happened?" he asked again. "Two-Bit said you told him you did be okay with some other guys."

" I don't know," Pony replied. "I was just sitting there when this guy comes up and hits me."

"Why?" Soda wondered bewilderingly. "What did you do? Did you go piss him or something?"

"Nothing!" Pony was getting frustrated. "I don't know, okay?"

"And where was everybody else?" I asked as I put a plaster on his cheek. It didn't seem right Ponyboy just got into these kind of shit all the time.

"Weren't you with Mark?" Soda added.

" Yeah. Mark got hurt real bad. " Pony said. "He got cracked on the head with a busted bottle for trying to stop the guy."

Soda flinched. "Poor guy."

"He's okay." Pony got up and went into the bathroom. He had to wash his face, I guess.

Soda turned to me. " Sometimes, its just like trouble follows him everywhere." he sighed.

"Soda," I laughed wearily. "That's just part of being Ponyboy."

The light in the room came on and Pony stuck his head out.

"Soda, you coming?"

"Yeah, alright, Pony. In a bit."

Soda got up and patted me on the back before heading to the room. I closed my own eyes and leaned backward on the sofa. I shot up, the minute I smelled something burning. I tried to recall what was it I had been doing...was it cooking something?....Maybe making new batter? ....

" My shirt!" I swore as I ran to the kitchen to try salvage my clothes.

The next morning, Pony told me about Cathy. He sounded so happy, I laughed. " She must be a real looker," I said as I passed the chocolate cake. "Oh. she is, Darry." Pony smiled dopily. "So you heard?" Soda came in, grinning. "Oh ,I heard." I replied. Pony just sat there with a silly smile on his face. Hard to believe that a girl could make Pony look so dopey. Normally only books or pictures got him that way. 'He's really growing," a voice at the back of my mind said but I shooed it away.

_Soda_

"Soda, where's the phone book?" Pony was going around the house in circles. I was getting dizzy from just watching him.

"What do you need it for?" Steve asked from the floor where he was playing cards with Two-Bit.

"And then he says , you better, watch it, Matthews or I'll..." Two-Bit jabbered on, oblivious as he put down a queen.

"I win, Steve," He grinned before playing a fool and reaching over to smack Steve's cheek. "Where are you, Randle? You ain't thinking of Evie now when you got me, are you?"

Steve jerked away and snarled, " Two-Bit, you better quit it or I'll make Dean's threat sound like a dream."

I laughed and turned back to Pony. "What do you need it so badly for?"

Pony stopped suddenly at Two-Bit's rubbish on the table. "Two-Bit!" he moaned. The book was under a whole pile of cans. Pony pulled it out before feverishly flipping through the pages. We watched him with interest.

" You need to call a teacher?" Two-Bit joked.

"No," Pony muttered as he leaned in forward.

"Pony?" I pressed on but he just stood up and picked the phone up.

" Hello?" he said. He turned his back to us so that, I guess we couldn't hear but it was for nothing. "Hi, yeah, um...Is Cathy in?"

"Ohh.....so its _Cathy ,_is it?" Two-Bit laughed. Pony turned and gave us a a look.

"What wouldn't I give for one of those wireless phones." Pony sighed.

Steve put the mute on the TV and we all waited in silence. But Two-Bit broke it again.

"Now, Pony, you just tell her she looks great,"

Steve interrupted, "He's on the _phone. "_

"Okay then," Two-Bit paused. "Tell her she sounds good."

"How do you do that?" I asked Two-Bit. "Know if a girl sounds good."

"Oh, you know, if she sounds all rough and deep."

"Like a man?" Steve smiled widely and I snickered at that.

"Ain't that the way, you like 'em?" I quipped.

"Oh ,hey!" Pony hurriedly tried to run out with the phone but he only got as far as the hallway. The wire hung dangerously in between and Two-Bit slid under it and tweaked it so hard that we heard Pony yell out in surprise.

"Yeah, Cathy." Pony was on the floor now. "Its.. uh...Ponyboy. Ponyboy Curtis from the dance, remember?"

"Nice position, Pony." Two-Bit called out and we laughed loudly.

Pony ignored him and we heard him ask if she was free on Friday night. He stammered a lot on that.

"Oh...okay, no, no that's okay," Pony said into the phone. "Thanks. Bye."

Pony walked back in. His face was red as he put the phone back on and flopped down on the couch.

"So...uh...uh...you...uh...free...on Friday?" Two-Bit poked fun. To my surprise, Pony cracked a smile at that.

" No, I'm sorry. I'm busy with Bryon that night." he sighed heavily.

We all kept quiet. Steve flicked the sound on the TV again.

"Tough luck, kid. "Two-Bit messed Pony's hair.

"Nah,its okay, I mean, I should have known a girl like her did have a boyfriend, anyway." Pony told him but looked at me.

I kept quiet. I can't say a lot about girls anymore. Thinking about Sandy still hurt but I was better now. I didn't wish hopelessly that every letter or phone call was her anymore . Some days, I remembered it bad but most of the time, I was okay.

"Its okay," I put an arm around Pony. "So what did you say she looked like again?"

Pony smiled at me before putting his head on my shoulder.

"She was a real looker, Soda. She looked great. Her hair's amazing. Really, You oughta see it. Two-Bit, you were dumb not to have stayed."

"Hey! Those Brumly boys were having a party! They got great beer." Two-Bit protested. "And besides, I wouldn't have wanted to see you staring at another guy's girl."

"I didn't think they were that serious." Pony huffed. "She was cute."

Steve raised an eyebrow at that and nodded at me.

"Hate to break it to you but she has a boyfriend." Steve reminded Pony.

"I know." Pony whispered softly and I pulled him closer to me. He sounded so sad and I couldn't believe it. How could any girl not want my brother? He was good-looking, smart and just so...nice! It didn't seem right the first time he had a crush, he got his heart broken already.

"Don't worry, Pone." I told him. "She'll go with you one day, you just see."

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/A.N/: Awwww....poor Pony. *goes on twirling and groovin'...stops* And I'd just like ta say, "It ain't over till the fat lady sings,Pony!" :D R&R!


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

/A.N/ A return to the crime scene and person who started off the whole story. Mark Jennings.

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_Darry_

I shook the paper open and sighed as I saw yet another story on some pusher getting jailed. Nowadays, it was like I couldn't get ten feet within anywhere without smelling grass. I was glad Soda didn't do the junk though. The state might be off our backs but its better if we're all clean. I didn't like to think that Mom and Dad might be out there ,watching us ,thinking that I had messed up my kid brothers. But then, a name of the story caught my eye. _Mark Jennings. _It sounded vaguely familiar and I wondered where I had heard it. Then it hit me, Mark...Pony's friend. Pony's _pusher _friend. I groaned. Shit. Now how was I going to bring this up with Pony? I could just feel my stress levels going up again.

It ain't fun, trying to raise Pony and Soda. Well, Soda was easy enough, Mom and Dad had mostly taught him but with Pony, it was harder. It wasn't that he was a rebel or something. He was just plain more difficult to understand with his interest in books and movies. I would have thought it was easier but now how was I going to bring up stuff like girls and all? I remembered the fiasco of that birds and bees talk with Two-Bit butting in just as I though Pony was gonna pass out or something from embarrassment.

I shook my head and put down the paper, the headache was starting to rear up and it wasn't something I needed on a Saturday.

_Soda_

I heard about it from Steve.

"Hey, you read the paper today?" he asked me over the counter while I organized the girlie mags up front ,now and then flipping through one. I figure it won't hurt.

"Steve, since when have _I _ ever bothered reading the paper?" I snorted. "You're better off asking Darry."

"That cat Jennings got busted." Steve's face was pretty serious.

"Jennings? You mean, Pony's friend?"

"Yeah."

"What for?" I was interested now and the mag now hung limply in my hand even though it was the centerfold piece.

"Drugs."

"Ouch," I winced, knowing that could not be pretty. The state was sitting pretty hard on drugs now, what with the whole Vietnam thing and hippies protests going on. I was pretty relieved that I hadn't gotten a draft notice, a lot of guys I knew were getting shipped off to wars that didn't even believe in. Sometimes, I wondered if I should get myself caught by the fuzz just so I wouldn't get drafted. Prison sounded a lot better than Viet.

But Darry would probably skin me first, no matter the reasoning.

"Yeah. I know," Steve said. "You know, when Darry hears Pony's friends with a pusher, he'll probably go ape."

"Steve..." I said slowly, a thought suddenly occurring to me.

"Yeah?"

"How'd you know if Darry hasn't found out? He reads the paper every day."

"Crap," Steve said in amusement. I guess he found it funny. But I didn't and I really did mean crap.

"Exactly." I told him, hoping Pony wouldn't be in too much trouble.

_Pony_

I heard it from Terry,that nut. He was hollering it out for the whole Oklahoma to hear. He's crazy if he thinks that's the way to get girls.

"Ponyman!" he called out to me and I scowled in bugged me that he gave me that nickname. It was awful and if I had enough guts,I would probably have told him where he could put "Ponyman".

Sadly,I don't.

"Ya hear the news?"

"What news?" I asked him shortly,still irritated by his call.

"Mark got busted."

"Busted?"I was confused. For what? hot-wiring cars again?

"Drugs," Terry whispered in this covert whisper.

"Drugs?" I repeated, a bit shocked. "I didn't know that Mark was a user." I told Terry.

"He ain't." Terry lowered his voice a bit. "He's a pusher."

I stared at Terry. I was real stunned.

"I know," Terry said. "_Now_ where am_ I_ gonna get my high?" he asked in annoyance.

But by that time,I just turned and walked off,reeling from the news.

Dammit,it just didn't seem right that Mark was a pusher.

Then I thought,

"Glory,I hope Darry and Soda sure don't know."

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	8. Chapter 8

_Disclaimer: I own nothing._

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_Pony_

I dragged myself home that day. I wasn't looking forward to meeting Darry in the state I was in then. Truthfully I wasn't even up to meeting Soda and I loved Soda best in the world , so you know how rotten I must have felt. I wondered if this surprised me...on hindsight, I suppose not. Mark was dangerous ,there was no getting around that but he had been a friend of mine. A good friend. And ever since last year, I could have used some of that. I didn't go 'wild' as Darry put it but let go and put everything I had to test. I went to some rough parties now and then, especially surprising Two-Bit. The first time I appeared somewhere he was, I was pretty spooked by the sight of him standing over me. Believe me, if I had known he was gonna be there, I wouldn't have gone. Two-Bit was good though, he didn't tell Darry but he did give me a good lecture.

I stopped by the park for a bit, just smoking and thinking about everything. I felt a little like that night in Windrixville with Johnny, that bewildering ,rushed feeling that things were going by too fast. I sat under a tree, not too far from where the fountain was. I still liked going by there, even if the gang didn't. You owe things sometimes to people you can't ever repay back so what you do is just try to make up for as good as you can. And this was my way of trying to do that. Just my way of trying to say that I was sorry that it was him and not me although I knew it was silly and that he wouldn't have wanted me to but I still did. You can't help stuff sometimes.

It was on my way out that I saw her. Cathy.

She was crying, that much I could tell, in the is grassy lot where couples normally parked and made out in. There wasn't a lot of people there and I really don't like to see girls cry so I went ou=over, shuffling my feet awkwardly.

"Cathy," I called out and she looked up, tears still hanging off the bridge of her nose. I felt my stomach drop and heart jump but tried to ignore it as I came neared. "Hey, Ponyboy," she said but her voice broke in the middle and the tears started down again. I didn't say anything, just went and put an arm around her. I didn't mean anything by that, really, I just wanted to help. She leaned on me like she couldn't help it. People don't like to lean so often but the truth is, we all really need to.

After a few minutes, she sat up straight and wiped her eyes dry but her hair was tangled and I tucked strand behind her hair silently. "Thank you," she told me, staring down at the grass patches. "Its just brother and Bryon and everything...Its just...really hard, you know?" she trailed off. I nodded, letting her know that it was okay.

She stood up, brushing grass off her pants and I got up too. "So, uh..."I said awkwardly but she interrupted me with a rush, "Bryon broke up with me."

"Bryon?" I asked, real surprised because I knew Bryon had liked her a lot.

"Yeah...He didn't say it but he didn't have to. I bet it was me who made him call on Mark too."

"What do you mean?" I asked her, a little puzzled as to why Mark, of all people, would be involved in with her and Bryon.

"Its complicated, Ponyboy," she smiled sadly at that. "My brother's in a hospital after having a bad trip last night."

"Oh," I said softly, putting two and two together.

She started to look sad again so I patted her on the back.

"I better get going," I told her hesitantly.

"Okay. Take care, Ponyboy,"

"You too."

I walked off briskly at first, trying to fight the urge to turn back but when I did all I could make out was Cathy walking off in the opposite direction, arms wrapped tightly around herself.

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/A.N/: Finally, I have done another chapter! I'm really sorry, guys. :( Review?


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